A couple of years ago on this beach was my scariest definitely going to die now moment.
I was only a few metres from the beach, and we'd been having great fun being knocked over and flipped over by the big waves, then suddenly I was swimming as hard as I could at the beach and getting further away from it with each wave breaking over my head. Ruth was just coming in to the water and I was yelling at her to stay out because I didn't want her to drown too, but she couldn't hear me above the waves - the thing I was most scared of at that point was her coming in and getting washed out too, then suddenly somehow my feet were on a sandbank and I was able to push back towards the beach - I suppose the waves died down for a few seconds. I've never been so certain that I was going to die as at then.
I've never understood the appeal of skiing. I have no doubt that I'd break bones or worse if I ever tried. Plus I hate winter. But I guess different strokes and all that! I hope you are doing better? And I'm glad you came back you bastard!
--------------------------------------------- Give me liberty or, I dunno, something.
Ouch. I broke a collarbone and then a few months later dislocated the other shoulder, in 2013. Not as much mountain bike riding as I hoped, as a result, but yours sounds way worse!
Expanses of water look much shorter from the boat than they do once you're in the water; I don't sink, but I can't really swim more than a few metres either, so I almost drowned once. Fortunately, I turned myself on my back, relaxed and kept floating & swimming very slowly until someone came to pull me to safety. Just dumb.
Oh, and cycling in London as a commuter, that must count for something. Yeah I still do that - I tell my beloved other half I'd be safer on a motorbike, she doesn't believe me yet. :-Y
TBH, I hate winter too, especially snow. I refer to this time of year as the "long, slow grind to spring". I only ski because it's something to do and others do it. It's not like I'm gonna miss it much, although Fiona's taking lessons in langlauf (cross-country skiing) which looks a lot more genteel, and devoid of scary teenage lunatics. Life on crutches is a PITA though, especially when your house has four floors.
Oh yes the old guy with crutches routine. I played that part last year! We have a ranch style house and it was still a pain in the ass maneuvering about.
--------------------------------------------- Give me liberty or, I dunno, something.
bastard by name